Coffee Talk

Posted on Tue Jan 21st, 2025 @ 4:44am by Lieutenant Colonel Azhul Naxea & Captain Gary Taylor

Mission: Season 6: Episode 5: A church beyond heaven
Location: Mess Hall; USS Elysium
Timeline: MD 4; 1700 Hours
2216 words - 4.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Having showered, changed into a violet shirt with black pants, and given a chance to catch her breath, so to speak, Naxea entered the Mess Hall. It wasn't quite as busy as it wasn't the yet time for the dinner rush. She looked around and didn't see Gary yet, so she found a table near one of the viewports and sat down.

Arriving a few minutes later, Gary entered the mess hall, his searching for Naxea. After a brief search he spotted her sitting at a table near one of the viewports. Walking over to her, he speaks, "Hi, sorry to keep you waiting. Have you ordered yet?"

"No, not yet,"she replied with a slight shake of her head. "No need to apologize. I only just got here a few minutes ago." Naxea lifted her hand to wave a waiter over.

"Whew, that's a relief." He answered as he sat across from her as the waiter walked over to take their order. "What are you going to have Naxea?"

"Raktijino and Hasperat Soup with terran Italian bread," she ordered a long time favorite of hers, looking from the waiter to Gary. "What about you?"

Gary looked to the waiter, "Coffee with cream and sugar along with a roast beef and swiss cheese on a hoagie roll." He smiled at Naxea then looked back to the waiter. "I think that should do it."

The waiter nodded and left as Naxea caught the smile directed towards her, making her realize that Gary could be very charming when he wanted to be. She turned from watching the waiter leave to Gary and returned the same. "Thank you for what went on in the ring. I needed that release."

Gary nodded, "My pleasure Naxea, I was glad to help." He paused for a moment, "You are dealing with a lot of things in your life. You needed a way to blow off and relieve some of the stress that had built up inside you. Our little sparring match provided a much-needed release for you."

"I just wonder if there will ever be an end to it," she said with a slight shake of her head, looking at him across the table and she leaned forward, crossing her arms on the table. "Things can't be easy for you either."

"Of course there will." Gary answered confidently. He sighed and shook his head. "It's hard ." He admitted but I have LL to keep me busy as well as ship duties that help as well.".

"Sounds like what I do. Keep busy and bury it. You saw how that ended. I'm here if you need to talk and get it off your chest," she said sincerely.

Gary nodded, "I think we're very much the same in that we both keep our emotions bottled up and to ourselves. As for what happened earlier, I told you think nothing of it." He paused for a moment. "I appreciate that Naxea but you have enough going on in your own life."

"True...but you're also a friend that I care about," she replied, placing her hand on his.

Gary smiled and nodded at Naxea's lovely and unexpected comment. "I care about you as well Naxea and I'll always be to help you in any way I can,"

Naxea smiled and was about to respond when the waiter returned with the food and drinks. "Thank you," she said to the waiter as he nodded and left. She took a sip of her Raktijino before looking back up at Gary. "So how are you doing? Honestly."

"I imagine much like you are Naxea. I do my shift, go get LL either from daycare or she's at home with the sitter. I spend time with her, we eat and talk then it's time to put her to bed. I kiss her good night and then the long, lonely night starts. Being alone sucks." He said as he picked up his cup and took a sip.

Naxea nodded slowly. She had faced her recent issues alone, made worse by the one man who should had been there to support her. "Yes it does. And you're not alone...not really. I'm here,* she said softly.

Gary met her gaze and nodded. "You have no idea how much that means to me Naxea. I appreciate it very much though I don't want to intrude on your life or your daughters."

"Let me make that decision. And you won't be intruding," she assured him as she looked back at him.

"Alright, I'll do that on one condition and that condition is you do the same when you need, or you just want to talk. You let me make that decision. Deal?" He asked as he took another sip of his coffee.

Naxea let out a sigh. She wasn't keen on letting people close to her. A somewhat learned trait of her position. Yet, she truly liked Gary and trusted him. "Deal," she replied before downing a spoonful of her soup. She had to admit it was nice having someone to be able to open up to--to feel wanted. S'hib was too stubborn and emotional on the angry side to talk to. To be honest , he was still in deep shit with her. Gami was well, Gami--a good friend but not the best listener. "So who is watching, LL at the moment?" she asked, breaking the momentary silence between them as she took another spoonful of her soup.

Gary had taken that moment to take a bite of his sandwich when Naxea asked about LL. He gulped and choked the sandwich down and then washed it down with some coffee. smiled at her, "You caught me taking a bite of my sandwich." He chuckled. "As for LL, Mrs. Blakenship is watching her, and they get along great." He answered, he liked this, and he liked Naxea and just being able to talk, no expectations just talk, relax and enjoy each other's company. Not to mention to have someone actually listen was a blessing.

Naxea downed another spoonful of her soup. "That's great to hear. Most of the time Sleanna is with Gunnery Sergeant Gami. I keep getting the feeling there was someone else who used to watch her but I can't recall who it was for some reason."

That perked Gary's interest. "What? Someone else watched your daughter besides the Gunnery Sergeant and you can't remember?" Naxea's comment reminded him of the conversation he, Phoenix and Max had about the previous chief flight control officer, and no one could remember who it was.

"I know. It's strange. There are even clothes and baby toys that Sleanna has of old terran sailing pirates that I nor S'hib recall getting for her and it's not something Gami or anyone else that I know of would have gotten her," she explained before taking a bite of the slice of Italian bread.

Gary nodded, "It sure is Naxea." He answered wondering if there was a connection between the toys Naxea couldn't remember getting and the chief flight control officer no one could remember. To him it certainly seemed like it was. He made a note to mention it to Phoenix the next time they talked. He took a bite of his sandwich and smiled, "Ohhhh! This is so good! How's the soup?"

"It's not bad. Still can't beat the real thing,; The spices are slightly off." she commented after chewing and swallowing the bite of bread. "My mother would always make authentic Bajoran dishes when growing up. Whether it was Bajor, Deep Space Nine, or New France. How is your food?"

"Like your soup Naxea. Not bad but not the real thing. Definitely not like my mother made them. She's cut the cheese so thin you could see through it. Same with the roast beef. No fat on it, put them on a hoagie roll and heat it for few seconds so the cheese melts. Man, nirvana." He said wistfully

"Nirvana?" she asked, a bit confused. Human terms still gave her trouble. She couldn't believe how one species could have such variety and differences.

"Oh, sorry Naxea. Yeah. Nirvana is a place of perfect peace and happiness which I got every time I ate one of mom's sandwiches. Problems went away; everything was right with the world. The feeling never gets old. I wish I had one of her sandwiches now."

"Maybe I'll have to learn to make it for you," she smiled. "Maybe you can show me." She took another spoonful of her soup.

"I'd be glad to show you how Naxea but you don't have to do anything like that. I already like you." He teased as he took another bite of the sandwich and how it suddenly wasn't as good after describing his mom's sandwiches. "But if you insist, then I need to learn how to make something you like. Fair is fair after all."

Naxea smiled at his teasing. "Well I like you too. And friends do things like that," she said more to herself than to him. Were they just friends? She was beginning to feel close to Gary, the feeling of wanting something more, and yet she wasn't sure where things really stood with S'hib. "Well, I can get you the recipe for Hasperat Soup. Just a warning, it normally takes half the day to make "

Gary nodded, he enjoyed talking to Naxea. She was smart and witty and had a good sense of humor. It was a joy to have an adult conversation, "I am up to the challenge, Half a day huh? Okay I can do that. LL goes to bed early, and I stay up because that is what I do. Or I can just wait when I pull a late shift and get it started early in the morning. Either way, you'll have your Hasperat Soup. I just need the recipe please Naxea."

Naxea let out a small chuckle. "No need to say please, I just have to grab it from my quarters in Marine Country. I can help if you want me to and I hardly ever pull a late shift. One advantage of not being Bridge Certified."

Gary nodded and grinned, "When you get the chance Naxea. That would be great. I'd like to try making it on my own for the first time. Then if I screw it up. Your help will be greatly appreciated."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll screw it up, " she teased with a smile. She was enjoying her time with Gary--it allowed her to forget her problems. "I'll send it to your terminal tonight after I get to my quarters."

Gary chuckled in good humor at Naxea's teasing. "Oh? is that a fact? I take that as a challenge and now I'm going to make doubly sure I don't screw this up."

"We'll see," she replied simply unable to hide her smile before finishing her soup. "And you'll still have to show me how to make your favorite sandwich."

Gary caught her smile and shook his head, "Your confidence in me screwing this up is unsettling." He teased. "And yes, I'll still show you how to make my favorite sandwich."

"That's because Bajoran foods, especially Hasperat Soup contains a very specific flavoring of spices. A dash too little and the soup is bland tasting. A dash too much and your mouth will feel like it's on fire" she explained, sitting back in her chair smiling at Gary.

"Now, I'm even more determined to get this soup right and show you I can do it! This is a challenge to my cooking prowess. One I am determined to win." he answered doggedly. "No soup is going to get the best of me." He finished, smiling at Naxea as he did.

"Like I said. We'll see,* she returned the smile. "Well, I should go and pick up Sleanna before Gami has her doing drill," she said, jokingly, not really wanting to leave--it meant another night alone. Well alone as in no other adults, anyhow . "I ve enjoyed the meal and hanging out together."

Gary nodded, "I need to go and get LL as well from Mrs. Blakenship." He replied sad and sorry to see their evening end. It had been fun, relaxing and nice. "Me too Naxea, me too. We need to do it again soon." he thought about suggesting they get their respective children and take them somewhere to eat where they could watch the kids and still enjoy each other's company. But he seemed to remember that Naxea's daughter was and infant, so that squashed that idea."

Naxea stood and walked around the table, giving Gary a hug!as she wrapped her arms around him The closeness was comforting. "We can try for the day after tomorrow if you want."

Gary returned the hug. he needed this, Naxea's company and her conversation. He hadn't realized how long it had been since he had an adult non work-related conversation. He suspected Naxea needed it as well. "I want that very much Naxea. I certainly do want."

Naxea smiled as she slowly let go. "Good," she said softly as she stepped back. "I'll let you know tomorrow for certain."

Gary returned the smile. "I will be waiting to hear from you Naxea."

End